Pulis laments slow second-half start

Crystal Palace manager Tony Pulis felt a poor start to the second half cost his side in their 2-0 defeat against Arsenal.

The Premier League strugglers put in a battling display at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, but were ultimately unable to spring an upset.

Arsenal were kept at bay throughout the first half, but moved ahead two minutes after the restart through a wonderful lofted finish from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Cameron Jerome had a great chance to level almost immediately, but could only head straight at Wojciech Szczesny.

Oxlade-Chamberlain then made Palace pay with his second, finishing a fine flowing move with a drilled effort on 73 minutes.

Pulis hailed the fight his side showed, but rued a costly opening to the second half.

"We were disappointed to lose a poor goal after half-time," he said. "Then our big moment came 90 seconds later and we did not take it. That was the difference.

"We kept going; we showed good determination and resilience.

"We have played at Manchester City, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur since I have been here and we have been a threat in those games with our wide men playing really well.

"It was not the case today; they did not carry that threat, but they kept going."

Palace's main problem this season has been a lack of goals, with their return of 15 lower than any other side in the top flight.

Pulis is hoping deadline-day signings Tom Ince and Joe Ledley, as well as Glenn Murray, who is set to return from a knee injury, can help provide a greater threat.

He added: "We need to score more goals and we're hoping our signings will do that. Tom Ince has goals from wide; we're convinced he will score goals. Joe Ledley has a good scoring record, so we're adding goals.

"Added to the fact that Glenn is nearing a return - he will play another game tomorrow (Monday) - we're feeling positive."